Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture
The Davis Cup, the mythical tennis competition created in 1900, only pitted the
United States and Great Britain against each other during the first four years of its existence. It opened up to other nations over time, first to Belgium, France, Austria-Hungary and Australasia (a combined team of Australia and New Zealand).
It has gone through various changes over the years, with the introduction of a World Group in the 1980s and its current opening to 159 nations.
Unfortunately, from the 2010s onwards, the competition was rocked by major turbulence. It has been increasingly shunned by the top players, who no longer hesitate to skip the event, prioritizing their singles careers in an already very crowded schedule.
A reform that sparked intense debate
Reform proposals emerged until its new format in 2019: the end of best-of-five-set matches and the introduction of a final phase on neutral ground at the end of the year over the course of a week.
However, this reform is far from pleasing everyone in the tennis world, especially those from countries with a rich history in the competition.
Yannick Noah, captain of the French Davis Cup team in 2018 when the reform had just been passed, said: “This measure is too radical and in my opinion will kill the soul and very essence of the Davis Cup.
“Money is calling the shots”
For me, it’s going to be a bit of a circus. The leaders were forced to make a radical decision because some players forgot the history of the Davis Cup. When our No. 1 says that his priority goes to the Davis Cup, that’s the kind of mindset that would have allowed the event to be preserved as it was.
From the moment some players prefer to play exhibitions or events with higher prize money, that’s their choice. The Davis Cup suffers as a result. Money is calling the shots.”
But even though all these changes weigh heavily on the hearts of most people in tennis, a Davis Cup culture still persists, between fond memories for former players and the desire to keep alive the love for this team competition, so special in an individual sport.
THE DAVIS CUP AS A VEHICLE FOR NATIONAL PRIDE
For a high-level athlete, representing one’s country is very often a great honor. In tennis, it is also a way of confirming the expectations placed on a player by their Federation.
A player can also transcend himself in the Davis Cup because he feels a sort of moral debt toward his country.
From their earliest years, many have benefited from concrete support from their Federation: financial aid to travel to junior tournaments, access to modern facilities, national coaches, training camps, medical support… All of this represents a significant investment that helped them become professionals.
In return, the Davis Cup becomes a special moment to give something back to the nation that carried them. For some, playing under their country’s colors means honoring that path, thanking those who believed in them and defending a system that gave them the means to reach the top level.
A team spirit in an individual sport
The Davis Cup provides emotions that a player cannot experience when playing regular tournaments. John Millman, who had beaten Roger Federer at the 2018 US Open to reach the quarterfinals and face Novak Djokovic, preferred to recall his Davis Cup memories as the favorite moments of his career.
In January 2025, he said in an exclusive interview with TennisTemple: “Even though it was a really special memory to beat Roger in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open, for me, the most special moments are actually the ones where I got to represent my country. I was fortunate enough to play in two Olympic Games, in Rio and Tokyo. I love those moments and also the Davis Cup.
“I preferred the moments when I represented my country”
I was very honored and thrilled to be part of that team. Having an idol like Lleyton Hewitt as captain was extremely special for me. And you really build bonds with the other Australian tennis players during those weeks. For me, the most special moments may be those where I was able to represent the country, but obviously beating Roger at the US Open was a huge accomplishment, because he’s one of the greatest players of all time on such an important stage. It was a thrilling moment for me, but I preferred the matches where I represented my country.
And I think that when you’re an Australian tennis player, it’s unique; you really rely on those relationships with the other Australian players. As I’ve said before, you spend so much time away from home that you become very close to them. That’s why you end up in a team with players with whom you’ve forged very strong ties.”
“The Davis Cup means everything to me”
As Millman points out, the Davis Cup holds a very special place in the hearts of Australians. Alex de Minaur is also very fond of this competition; he has the number 109 tattooed above his left pectoral. A number that has a very special meaning for him, since he is the 109th Australian player to represent his country in the Davis Cup. In 2019, in comments reported by L’Équipe, he said: “It’s the only tattoo I’ll ever have in my life. The Davis Cup means everything to me, so I had it done just above my heart.”
With a population of around 27 million, Australia has won the Davis Cup 28 times. It is a country that has produced many great tennis players, such as Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and, more recently, Lleyton Hewitt.
Australian players often have particularly strong bonds with one another, and this is largely due to the geography of their country, as Millman explained. Australia is isolated from the rest of the tennis world, and almost all the major tournaments are played many hours of flight away from home.
From the junior categories onward, they travel together, share the same endless flights, the same distant tours and the same adjustment periods. This situation naturally creates solidarity: they band together, support each other and form a tight-knit core to cope with the distance. This camaraderie forges a genuine group culture, which then resurfaces in the Davis Cup, where the Australians often give the impression of being more than just a team.
The French legacy in the face of reform
In France, the Davis Cup culture is also very strong. Players are used to playing in teams, notably through interclub competitions. The title in Melbourne in 2001 against Lleyton Hewitt’s Australia is still vivid in the memory of many French tennis lovers. Arnaud Clément, a member of the team at the time, said: “The evening in Melbourne after our victory in 2001 will remain the greatest of my sporting life.”
The Davis Cup reform, passed in 2018, was also the subject of numerous criticisms at the time.
Yet the president of the French Tennis Federation back then, Bernard Giudicelli, supported the reform. For him, there is no going back, and the current format is a success.
STEVE DARCIS, DAVIS CUP HERO: WHEN THE FLAG MULTIPLIED HIS TENNIS
Steve Darcis, current captain of Belgium’s Davis Cup team, made a name for himself in singles with his victory over Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013, but also with his Davis Cup performances. The Belgian had a particular fondness for this competition during his career, when ties were still played in a home-and-away format.
Darcis decisive in winner-takes-all rubbers
What he particularly loved was the deciding fifth match at 2-2, where the No. 2 players from each team faced off to earn the decisive point for their team and clinch victory. Until his defeat against Lucas Pouille during France’s title run in 2017, he had a 5-0 record in these deciding rubbers.
All told, he won 22 matches and lost 12. His finest victory was probably against Alexander Zverev in 2017, on the indoor courts of Frankfurt. The Belgian prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 and played a major role in Belgium’s run to the final that year.
The Davis Cup culture
After beating Zverev, who was ranked No. 22 in the world at the time, Darcis highlighted the special nature of the Davis Cup: “The big difference is that we had a team, whereas Germany had individuals.
It’s true that experience helped me a lot. Alexander Zverev will one day be Top 5, but he still has to learn what it means to play in the Davis Cup.”
A new format he criticizes without hesitation
Now captain of the Belgian team, Darcis is passing on this culture of team competition to his players, even though he strongly dislikes the current Davis Cup format and did not hesitate to criticize it during a press conference at the 2025 Final 8.
“For me, the Davis Cup doesn’t really exist anymore, I think the format is really disgusting.”
THE SPIRIT OF AN ETERNAL COMPETITION
Beyond the recent controversies and the transformations that have shaken its identity, the Davis Cup remains a competition apart in the tennis landscape. It draws on a history of more than a hundred years, on generations of players who grew up dreaming of defending their colors, and on emotions that the individual tour can never fully reproduce.
Whether it’s the feeling of giving back to one’s country what it has offered, the strength of the collective in a solitary sport, or the almost fraternal bond that certain nations, like Australia, manage to forge, the Davis Cup continues to produce unique moments. The exploits of players like Steve Darcis, Alex de Minaur or the French heroes of Melbourne 2001 bear witness to this flame that persists, even as the format evolves.
As long as players continue to view the jersey as an honor and a responsibility, as long as fans see themselves reflected in these national battles, the spirit of the Davis Cup will survive. It may have changed its face, but it has probably not completely lost its soul.
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